A Sydney butcher who used illegal additives to make meat appear more appealing has been fined over A$9,000 by the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court, relating to four offences under the New South Wales Food Act. New South Wales Food Authority’s Acting CEO, Craig Sahlin, said the court’s decision to fine Abdul Hassan, trading as Green Valley Halal Meats a total of A$9,000 plus costs was a stern reminder to those who flout food safety laws. An officer from the NSW Authority visited Green Valley... ...Read more »

Australian bakery chain, Brumby’s Bakery, has fired a pot shot at Australia’s largest bread manufacturer Goodman Fielder in response to recent reports that Goodman Fielder is considering extending the shelf-life of its bread. Results of a survey commissioned by Australian bakery chain, Brumby’s Bakery, were released today. The survey results suggest that Australian consumers are concerned about additives in the bread they purchase. The survey was undertaken by market research company ‘arnold... ...Read more »

Europe’s food safety watchdog has revised its Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) for a group of caramel colours used in food production.The European Food Safety Authority’s panel on food additives and nutrient sources said that it has set a group ADI covering all caramel colours of 300 mg per kg of body weight per day, with the acception of caramel E150c, which will have a more restrictive ADI of 100 mg/kg bw/day. In a statement released this afternoon (8 March), the panel concluded that... ...Read more »

Discount grocer Aldi has announced it will reformulate all its private label food items to remove the six food colours which were linked to hyperactivity in children by a UK study in 2007. The six colours, [sunset yellow (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tartrazine (E102) and ponceau 4R (E124)], have been under fire ever since the late-2007 ‘Southampton Study’ which found that a mix of one of the six food additives with the preservative sodium benzoate... ...Read more »

An investigation by a leading consumer group into supermarket cakes has discovered some contain more than 20 additives, including those used to prolong shelf life or cover up cheaper ingredients. Of the almost 100 cakes tested by Choice, Woolworths Bakehouse Sponge Iced and Fresh-Filled Cream cake was the worst offender with 27 additives. Top Taste Rollettes Choc and Woolworths Bakehouse Sponge Single Birthday Fresh Cream were a close second with 26 additives each. “Most people wouldn’t... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council, Australia’s peak food and grocery manufacturing industry association, has said that calls from the NSW Greens for the banning of a number of food additives are based on flawed research and not on sound science. A “Kids First Campaign” – a combined initiative of Additive Alert, FIN and Additive Education – was launched yesterday and they are leading the calls for FSANZ to ban the colours in Australia. AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell... ...Read more »

The issue of artificial food colours is about to be drawn out into the public forum in Australia, with a call for a phase out of six artificial colours. The Food Intolerance Network (FIN) is to send a letter today to FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand), which will call for a ban on six additives [sunset yellow (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tartrazine (E102) and ponceau 4R (E124)]. The colours are used in a diverse range of food and have previously... ...Read more »

The Coca-Cola Company is planning to remove a potentially damaging additive from their Diet Coke beverages in the UK but the chemical is to continue to be used in Australia. The controversial chemical Sodium Benzoate, which has been linked to hyperactivity and could deactivate parts of DNA, is to no longer be used in Diet Coke with Coca-Cola claiming the move has been made in response to consumer demand for more natural products. “We are continuously looking at emerging trends and... ...Read more »

The world’s best restaurant for the last three years, El Bulli, has been accused of “unethical” cooking practices. Santi Santamaria, a famous chef from Barcelona who has been awarded three Michelin stars, has accused fellow Spanish chef Ferran Adria of irresponsibly “filling diners plates with gelling agents and emulsifiers”. Ferran Adria, head chef at El Bulli, has been a pioneer in ‘molecular gastronomy’ – a scientific approach to cooking.... ...Read more »